Heating device



NOV. 1, A, B MQDlNE I HEATING DEVICE Filed Dec. 24, A19253 5Sheets-Sheet l 4 m V m A. B. MODINE Nov. l, 1932.

HEATING DEVICE Filed Deo. 24, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @ffmc/Mar Nov. 1,1932. A, B, MDNE 1,885,751

HEATING DEVICE 'Patented Nov. l, 1932 ARTHUR IB. MODINE, OF RACINE,WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB TO MODINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF RACINE,WISCONSIN, CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN HEATING DEVICE Application filedDecember 24, 1928. Serial No. 328,078.

My invention relates to heating devicesand more particularly to devicescomprising a radiator unit, connected with a steam feed line wherein thesteam before admission to the radiator unit, is utilized to actuate aturbine which drives a fan so positioned as to force ya column of airbetween the radiator tubes and thereby accelerate radiation.

Another object is vthe provision of improved means for draining off thewater resulting from condensation of the steam in y the turbine casing,

the water being discharged into the outlet end of the radiator unitwithout the possibility of any back flow or'return of steam in thedirection of the main feed.pipe.

Still ,another object is the provision of'a device that is simple,compact, eifcient and satisfactory.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown anddescribed will be obvious to those skilled in the art from thedisclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangementand combination of parts herein shown and described, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is aplan view of one embodiment of my invention;

2 is an elevational view of the same;

1g.3isaview along the line 3 3 of Fig.2; F Fig. 4 is a view along theline 4 4 of ig. 5 is a view along the line 5 5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a view along the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates aradiator unit 11 and 12. The radiator unit 10 is positioned horizontallyand comprises a plurality of tubes 13 separated by a plurality oftransversely extending fins or plates 14. The radiator unit 10 is shownas suspended from a steam supply pipe 17 which isconnected with agenerally circular-shaped member 20 by means of a nipple 19 and a union18. The nipple 19 has a threaded connection with an elongated casing 21which forms an inlet chamber 15 into which steam is discharged from thesupply line 17 through the nipple 19. l

An irregular annular-shaped casing 22 is positioned immediatelyunderneath the member 2() and is fastened thereto by a plurality ofbolts 32. A turbine wheel 23 is shown as mounted in the casing 22, upona vertical shaft 25. rlhe chamber 15 is connected with the turbinecasing 22 by a duct 27 in which a nozzle 28 is mounted. The nozzle 28 isso positioned as to discharge the steam from the chamber as a jet whichimpinges against the vanes of the turbine wheel 23. The resultingrotation of the Wheel 2 3 and the shaft 25, actuates a fan 24 which ismounted on the lower end of the shaft. f.

he steam, after performing work Aupon the turbine wheel 23, leaves thecasing 22 and enters a conduit 35 from the lower end of which it isdischarged into the header tank 11. From the header tank 1l the steam isdistributed through the tubes 13 in which it loses its heat to the aircurrents which are set in motion by the fan 24 and enters the headertank 12 from which the steam is discharged through a return pipe 33. Itis the device, performs the dual function of doing Work by actuating theturbine wheel 23 and the fan 24 which is connected therewith, and ofdischarging its energy in theform of radiated heat given off by theradiator tubes 13 The vertical shaft 25 is enclosed in a housing 26whichis positioned in the path of the air currents induced by therotation of the fan 24. v

The nozzle 28 is adjustably mounted in the duct 27 by means of a setscrew 29 as is best shown in the sectional view indicated at Fig. 6. Athreaded plug 30 provides means for access to the nozzle 28. foradjustment or cleaning of the same. If necessary, the entirehousing48,in which the duct 27 is located can be removed by looseningthe bolts 40 which are used for fastening the housing 48 to the platemember 20.

Such of the steam as is condensed in the chamber collects at the bottomof the conduit 36. A shoulder 41 prevents any of this condensed steamfrom flowing into the turbine Wheel 23 through the duct 27. A floatvalve generally designated 34 is suitably positioned in the bottom ofthe conduit 36 to permit the discharge of surplus Water from the conduit36 into the header tank 12. A Water seal is also provided which preventsany possibility of back flow of steam from the header tank 12. The oatvalve preferably vtakes the form of a vertical cylinder 49 having endpin bearings 42. A plug 46 provides a means of access to the oat valve34. A hollow inverted L-shaped niember 43, mounted in the bottom of theconduit 36 provides an outlet for the surplus water and also functionsto retain sufficient Water in the conduit 36 to form a Water seal. Aport 44 in the plug 46 and a similar port 45 in the L-shaped member 43provide mountings for the pin bearings 42. As thewater level in theconduit 36 rises the cylinder 49 is elevated and thereby permits Waterto How 'through the port 45 and into and through the member 43 fromWhich'it is discharged into the header tank 12. As the Water recedes thecylinder 49 drops and closes the port 45. The port is vertical with itslower end submerged in the Water which surrounds thedownwardly'projecting free end of the member 43. The Water thus retainedin the conduit 36 provides a Water seal preventing any back flow ofsteam from the header tank 12, through the member 43.

The radiator unit 10 is fastened to the conduits 35 and 36 by the bolts37 and 38, respeetively. The conduit 35 is fastened to the member 20 bybolts 39 and the conduit 36 is similarly fastened by bolts 40. Thevarious members comprising the device being bolted together are easilyassembled and disassembled and can be readily mounted in any suitablesteam line.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing fromthe "spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangementandcombination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In apparatus of the kind described, a radiator unit, a steam supplypipe, a turbine casing into Which said pipe discharges, a conduitconnecting said casing with the inlet end of the radiator unita secondconduit connecting said casing with the outlet end of the radiatorunit-,aand iioat valve means in said second conduit automaticallyoperable to intermittently discharge water from the conduit into theoutlet end of the radiator unit.

2. In apparatus of the kind described, a radiator unit, a steam supplypipe, a turbine casing into which said pipe discharges, a conduitconnecting said casing with the inlet end of the radiator unit, a secondconduit connecting said casing with the outlet endof the radiator unit,float valve means in said second conduit automatically operable tointermittently discharge Water from the conduit into the outlet end ofthe radiator unit, and a return pipe into which said radiator unitdischarges.

3. In apparatus of the kind described, a radiator unit, a steam supplypipe, a turbine casing into which said pipe discharges, a conduitconnecting said casing With the inlet end of the radiator unit, a secondconduit connecting said casing with the outlet end 0f the radiator unit,float controlled means in said second conduit automatically operable tointermittently discharge Water from the conduit into the outlet end ofthe radiator unit, a turbine wheel in said casing, and a fan positionedadjacent said device and operatively connected with said Wheel.

4. In apparatus of the kind described, a radiator unit, a steam supplypipe, a turbine casing into which said pipe discharges, a turbineWheel'in said casing, a fan positioned adjacent said device andoperatively connected with said Wheel, said turbine casing beingpositioned in the path of air currents induced by the rotation of thefan, a. conduit connecting said casing with the inlet end of theradiator unit, a second conduit connecting said casing with the outletend of the radiator unit, and float valve means in said second conduitautomatically operable tointermittently discharge Water from the.conduit into the outlet end of the radiator unit.

5. In apparatus of the kind described, a casing providing a steam inletchamber, a steam supply pipe discharging into said chamber, a turbinecasing, a turbine wheel mounted in the turbine casing, a nozzleconnecting said casings, said nozzle being positioned to direct a steamjet on said wheel, a radiator unit, a conduit connecting the turbinecasing With the inlet end of the radiator unit, a pipe connecting saidchamber with the outlet end of the radiator unit, and float valvemechanism in said pipe operable to intermittently discharge water fromthe pipe into the radiator unit.

6. In apparatus of the kind described,V a casing providingy a steaminletchamber, a steam, supply pipe discharging into said chamber, aturbine casing, a turbine Wheel mounted in the turbine casing, a nozzleconnecting said casings, said nozzle being positioned-to -direct a steamjet on said Wheel, a radiator unit, a conduit connecting the tursteampassage,

kand pipe connections respectivel bine casing with theinlet end of theradiator. unit, a hollow L-shaped member connecting said pipe with theoutlet'end of the radiator unit forming a water seal, and float valvemechanism operable to intermittently discharge Water through saidL-shaped member.

7. In apparatus of the kind described, a radiator unit, a steam supplypipe, a turbine casing into which said pipe discharges, a turbine wheelin said casing,'and a fan positioned adjacent said device andoperatively connected with said Wheel. and elements connected with theopposite ends of the radiator unit and extending between said unit andsaid casing, one of said elements providing a passage for steam and bothof said elements providing supports for supporting said radiator unitrelatively to said casing.

8. In apparatus of the kind described, the 'i combination of a turbinecasing, aturbine Wheellocated therein, a pipe for supplying steam tosaid turbine casing, a radiator, pipe connections extending from theturbine cas-l ing, said pipe connections' being connected to theopposite ends of saidradiator, and a fan located between thcradiator'and casing. 9. In apparatus of the kind described, thecombination of a turbine casing, a turbine Wheel located therein, a pipefor supplying steam to said turbine casing, a radiator, pipe connectionsextending ing, said pipe connections being connected to the oppositeends of said radiator, and a fan located between the radiator andcasing, one -of said pipe connections having a valve. l0. In apparatusof the kind described, the combination of a turbine casing, a turbinewheel located in the casing, for said casing, a radiator, a pipeconnected at one end with said turbine casing and having the oppositeend connected with one end of said radiator and providing means for'sup-V porting said radiator from said casing, and a fan connectedl withthe turbine, said fan being located between s bine casing.

11. In apparatus of the vkind described, thecombination of a memberproviding a a casing, a turbine located in said caslng, means providinga communica,- tion between said passage and turbine casing, a fanconnected with said turbine, a radiator, and pipe connectionsrespectively connected with said steam passage and turbine casing, oneof said pipe connections providing means for supplying steam to saidradiator.

In apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a memberproviding a steam passage, a casing, a turbine located in said casing,means providing a communication between said passage aud turbine casing,a fan connected with said turbine, a radiator,

connected from the turbine casa a steam supply id radiator and tursaidmember, one of said elements providing means through which said mediumis supplied to said radiator, said fan beingarranged to rotate in aplane parallel with the plane of ,said radiator and said radiator beingarranged in a plane transverse to the axis of said member.

In testimony signed my name.

ARTHUR B. MODINE.

with said steam passage and tur ine casing, I

whereof, I have hereunto'

